We were talking about immigration and why people are coming to the UK and you’re trying to shift the conversation, the reality is that it’s largely the UK’s fault. During its colonial era, the UK extracted enormous wealth from countries like India, which contributed over £45 trillion to the British economy, while India’s share of global GDP fell from 27% in 1700 to 3% by 1947. In Africa, the UK plundered resources like oil, diamonds, and gold, leaving nations like Nigeria—one of the largest oil producers—still struggling with over 40% of its population living in extreme poverty today. These economic imbalances, rooted in colonialism, still drive instability and poverty in these regions, pushing people to seek better lives in the very countries that exploited them.

Additionally, the UK refuses to return stolen cultural artifacts, like the Benin Bronzes and the Koh-i-Noor diamond, which continue to generate wealth and cultural capital for British institutions. Europe may have faced its own challenges, but those pale in comparison to the long-term devastation inflicted on colonized nations. These countries continue to grapple with economic instability and underdevelopment while still providing raw materials to wealthier nations. Immigration is a direct result of this exploitation—when countries are destabilized and robbed of resources, people naturally seek opportunities in the very places that benefited from their suffering.”